It had been weeks since Aethelstan told him a bit more about the species.
The talk had been long, something that often happened, it was a tradition that calmed both of them.
And yet Aethelstan had been so busy that he checked upon him from afar these past weeks.
He wasn't the only one either, mother and father had been looking at him with worried glances.
As if they knew something he didn't.
He wasn't one to just accept getting things hidden from, so with all his teenish ability he sneaked into the audiëntie room.
High above in one of the hidden alcoves, one he found years ago, he listened in.
''We can't just give in to their demands!''
''We are well aware of the consequences, Dakaria but we are pretty much cornered.''
The Queen spoke, his godmother, as always stern and to the point.
''But this is about Adrian?"
''And we can't risk the kingdom for him, no matter his significance.''
''But ..but what if he's the key?
The key for a better ending for us as vampires.''
''Exactly.''
''I-i mean...''Father stuttered, trying to take back his previous words."I mean as a cure to the curse."
''As the only birth in almost two hundreds years, he indeed has a responsibility.
We gave him a childhood, he will continue to have one here but in the human world it will be different.
For normal humans, the age of adulthood is twenty, twenty-five because then mana really settle down.
He will be forced to grow up sooner, forced to face their discrimination and he shall have to survive.
That's his task for now but soon he may even stand as the link between our world and the outside.
We have been excluded for far too long, ever since we arrived because we just happen to have similarities with fairy tales.
We can't and won't let this chance pass us by."
"My queen.."
"No, Ianthe that's enough.
Your queen has spoken and this will be the end of it.''
''Yes, my king.''
Nonetheless his parents face's twisted in even more anxiety.
''You don't need to worry, I'm sure he will be just fine.''
''How can you be sure? He's just a baby.''
"Why don't you ask him yourself.''
Aethelstan eyes glowed and soon his body got lifted, lowering softly to the ground.
''Heyyy...dad, mom... Aethel."'
He glared at him, he had outed him after all, Adrian was sure the other could feel him at all times.
And for some reason the other hadn't told him how yet.
Betrayer!
Aethelstan merely chuckled, no doubt feelings his exact feelings aswell.
''Cough cough
If your done with conversing with your bonded, explain yourself!''
''Ah yes father!"
Sweat dripped in embarrassment as his father sternly stared down at him.
Once dad got angry, he was really too scary.
''Well then, explain.''
Alright, let's leave this place and figure the world out instead.
''You can't just decide to keep me away from something that impacts my future so heavily!
I'm your son but protecting me does nothing except make us vulnerable, makes our kingdom and it's people vulnerable.
Your putting them in danger for me, do you really think that helps me?''
He could see the shock, the realisation in their eyes. It weighted heavily in the air before his parents nodded with a smile.
Father moved down, knee thudding on the ground as he grasped his hands thigthly.
''We're sorry it has come to this.
We hoped to keep you sheltered, save against prejudice but now I see we we're wrong.
It's time for you to venture, even as my baby you grow so quick but that doesn't mean we won't be here for you to return to.
We will be right here, we always will."
The distance closed between them and mother soon joined the hug.
They only let go when the same quard that appeared in crucial moments, roughly opened the door.
"T-the humans, the humans are here!"